# Mercury Bay > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mercury_Bay > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mercury_Bay.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Bay > Source revision: 1349682675 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Bay in New Zealand Location of Mercury Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula Mercury Bay Memorial of Cook's observation of a transit of [Mercury](/source/Mercury_(planet)), incorrectly located across the bay from where Cook made his observation, at Shakespeare Cliff lookout near Cooks Beach. The boom, Mercury Bay, Coromandel Peninsula in early 1900s. **Mercury Bay** is a large V-shaped bay on the eastern coast of the [Coromandel Peninsula](/source/Coromandel_Peninsula) in the North Island of [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand). It was named by the English navigator [Captain James Cook](/source/Captain_James_Cook) during his exploratory expeditions. The bay was originally named *Te-Whanganui-a-Hei*, the great bay of Hei, by the [Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_people). On 9 November 1769, Cook landed on the shores of the bay to observe a [Transit of Mercury](/source/Transit_of_Mercury). In 1919, an area of land around Shakespeare Cliff was set aside and a small memorial was constructed, based on the erroneous belief that it marked the location of Cook's observations.[1] However, the actual site of Cook's landing and observation was at the eastern end of Cook's Beach, near the [Purangi estuary](/source/Purangi_estuary).[2] A smaller memorial [plinth](/source/Plinth) was later established there. The brig *Trial* and the schooner *Brothers* were attacked by [Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_people) on 20 August 1815 in Mercury Bay, during which several sailors were killed.[3][4] The bay was also the resting place of [HMS *Buffalo*](/source/HMS_Buffalo_(1813)), a ship that transported passengers and prisoners to Australia, which was wrecked in a storm in 1840.[5] The mouth of Mercury Bay is approximately ten kilometres wide, and its coastline extends for about 20 km. On the shore of the bay lies the resort town of [Whitianga](/source/Whitianga), where a natural harbour is formed by an arm of the bay that extends a further six kilometres inland to the south. Several small islets are located at the southern and northern extremities of the bay, and the [Mercury Islands](/source/Mercury_Islands) lie about 10 km to the north. The [Whanganui A Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve](/source/Te_Whanganui-A-Hei_(Cathedral_Cove)_Marine_Reserve) is located in the southern part of the bay. Named locations along Mercury Bay include Buffalo Beach, Wharekaho, Ferry Landing, Shakespeare Cliff, Lonely Bay, Flaxmill Bay, Cooks Beach, [Purangi Estuary](/source/Purangi_Estuary), Cathedral Cove and [Hahei](/source/Hahei). Mercury Bay is a popular location for [game fishing](/source/Game_fishing), with the Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club being one of the largest in New Zealand. The bay is also well known for [yachting](/source/Yachting). The Mercury Bay Boating Club in Whitianga was the challenging club in New Zealand's first [America's Cup](/source/America's_Cup) challenge in 1987. An [arched rock](/source/Natural_arch) formation once stood in Mercury Bay but has since collapsed. It was illustrated in the 1700s aboard [James Cook](/source/James_Cook)'s [Endeavour](/source/HMS_Endeavour) and was depicted with a [pā](/source/P%C4%81) situated on top of the rock.[6][7] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Bailey, Susan (1966). ["Mercury Bay"](https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/mercury-bay). In McLintock, A.H. (ed.). *[An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand](/source/An_Encyclopaedia_of_New_Zealand)*. Retrieved 14 July 2019 – via Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Orchiston, Wayne (1994). ["James Cook and the 1769 Transit of Mercury"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100603212227/http://www.transitofvenus.co.nz/docs/CarterObservatoryInfo3.doc). *Information Sheet*. [Carter Observatory](/source/Space_Place_at_Carter_Observatory): 3–4. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1173-7263](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1173-7263). Archived from [the original](http://www.transitofvenus.co.nz/docs/CarterObservatoryInfo3.doc) on 3 June 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2008. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-TMR523-1_3-0)** ["The Missionary Register"](https://www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz/document/?wid=4019&page=0&action=null). [Early New Zealand Books](/source/Early_New_Zealand_Books) (ENZB), University of Auckland Library. 1816. p. 523. Retrieved 9 March 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-TMR523-2_4-0)** ["The Missionary Register"](https://www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz/document/?wid=2971&page=0&action=null). [Early New Zealand Books](/source/Early_New_Zealand_Books) (ENZB), University of Auckland Library. 1817. pp. 522–523. Retrieved 9 March 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-AucklandCouncilDuder_5-0)** Heritage Department of the Auckland Regional Council. ["Duder Regional Park – Our History"](https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/arts-culture-heritage/heritage-walks-places/Documents/duder-regional-park.pdf) (PDF). [Auckland Council](/source/Auckland_Council). Retrieved 30 August 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Arched rock, Mercury Bay"](https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/6331/arched-rock-mercury-bay). *teara.govt.nz*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["'... arched Rock, on the Coast of New Zealand; with an Hippa, or place of Retreat...'"](https://prints.royalsociety.org/products/arched-rock-on-the-coast-of-new-zealand-with-an-hippa-or-place-of-retreat-rs-9215). *Royal Society Print Shop*. Retrieved 2 August 2023. ## External links - [All About Mercury Bay](https://allaboutwhitianga.co.nz/) - [Discovering the Mercury Bay](http://www.whitianga.co.nz/) v t e Thames-Coromandel District, New Zealand Seat: Thames Populated places Coromandel-Colville Ward Cape Colville Colville Coromandel Kennedy Bay Manaia Motutakapu Mercury Bay Ward Cooks Beach Coroglen Hahei Hot Water Beach Kūaotunu Matarangi New Chums Beach Otama Beach Rings Beach Te Rerenga Whangapoua Whenuakite Whitianga Thames Ward Hikutaia Kauaeranga Valley Kopu Matatoki Ngarimu Bay Puriri Tapu Te Mata Te Puru Thames Thornton Bay Waiomu South West Ward Whangamatā C.B. Onemana Opoutere Whangamata Tairua-Pauanui C.B. Hikuai Pauanui Tairua Islands Aldermen Islands Castle Island Mahurangi Island / Goat Island Mercury Islands Motueka Island / Pigeon Island Motukawao Islands Poikeke Island Slipper Island Whanganui Island Geographic features Cape Colville Castle Rock Cathedral Cove / Te Whanganui-A-Hei Colville Channel Firth of Thames Hauraki Gulf Kauaeranga Valley Mercury Bay Moehau Range Thames Valley Whangapoua Harbour Facilities and attractions Coromandel Forest Park Driving Creek Railway Hauraki Rail Trail Kopu Bridge Pauanui Aerodrome Siamese Kauri Square Kauri Thames Aerodrome Thames railway station Thames School of Mines Whangamata Beach Hop Whitianga Aerodrome Whitianga Festival of Speed Government District Council Mayor Regional Council Organisations The Mercury Bay Informer Ngāti Rongoū Thames High School [36°47′S 175°47′E / 36.78°S 175.78°E / -36.78; 175.78](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Mercury_Bay¶ms=36.78_S_175.78_E_region:NZ_type:waterbody) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mercury Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Bay) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Bay?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.